Rose lichen

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Classification according to ICD-10
L42 Pityriasis rosea
ICD-10 online (WHO version 2019)

The rose lichen ( Latin: Pityriasis rosea Gibert; also called flake rose ) is a non-contagious skin disease, which in most cases lasts 6 to 8 weeks, in some cases even up to half a year. It mostly occurs in children and younger adults between the ages of 10 and 35, especially in spring and autumn. At the beginning a red primary medallion (so-called plaque mère , primary spot or herald patch ) is created, from which smaller foci spread out. After the disease, these heal completely.

causes

The causes of this disease are so far unknown. Since it is harmless and more of a cosmetic problem for the patient, little research has been done on it so far. It has been suggested that it is a viral infection caused by a human herpes virus , possibly HHV-6 (B) or HHV-7 . There is no evidence for this hypothesis. The disease often occurs in combination with allergies and stress .

It cannot be ruled out that the onset of the disease is at least partially genetic , as it often occurs in people who are allergic.

Symptoms

First, the reddish, about one centimeter large, so-called primary medallion (also primary stain , plaque mère or herald patch ) forms on the trunk of the body; but it has also been observed on the inside of the forearm, on the back, on the stomach, on the thighs or on the hairline. The primary medallion grows to a diameter of up to several centimeters. In addition, it develops a reddish, marginal scaling (so-called Collerette-like scaling). The scaling is inward, which makes it easy to miss. After about one to two weeks, other foci spread over the body, much more intensely in women than in men, and rarely on the face. The itching emanating from the spots is little to severe, depending on the stage of the disease, but increases greatly under the influence of heat and skin irritation. The general health of the patient is usually not affected.

The pityriasis rosea irritata represents the irritated form that z. B. caused by too frequent washing: Here there is a more reddened and itchy appearance of the above skin changes.

treatment

Treatment is usually unnecessary and the disease will go away on its own. It is recommended to avoid skin irritation. Tight-fitting clothing should not be worn, showered too long or sweaty sports should not be exercised. The skin shouldn't dry out too much. Furthermore, treatment with oil baths is possible, and moderate exposure to the sun can lead to relief or disappearance. Sunburn should definitely be avoided. If the itching is severe, an antihistamine can be taken. Ointments containing cortisone can accelerate the healing process.

Differential diagnosis

In the case of typical manifestations, the diagnosis can only be made unambiguously from the clinical picture. However, the disease has a wide variety of forms, so that if it is atypical, a number of other skin diseases can be considered in the differential diagnosis, including eczema. It is characteristic of the disease that the foci run in the skin tension lines, which distinguishes them from psoriasis . It also resembles various fungal diseases , a drug rash and pityriasis versicolor in its appearance . In addition, rose lichen is very similar to syphilis in the second stage.

literature

Web links

Commons : Pityriasis rosea  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ biowellmed.de Technical article on rose lichen